By Own Correspondent

Nurses at the Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare have downed tools  demonstrating against poor working conditions and a failing healthcare system, where basic amenities like electricity and running water are rarely available.

According to the messages the nurses were brandishing on placards, they are fed up with non provision of essentials that enable them to effectively carryout their duties.

“No Water, No Power, No Care!” “Our Patients Deserve Better.” And “How Are We Expected to Provide Quality Care?” read some of the placards.

One nurse who spoke to the media on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said; “We are working in a hospital that has no electricity for hours on end, and sometimes there is no running water for days. How are we expected to provide quality care under such conditions?”.

The nurse added that the protest was not just about their own working conditions but also about the well-being of their patients.

“We are not just fighting for ourselves; we are fighting for our patients, who are suffering the most,” she added.

Zimbabwe’s healthcare system has been seriously unwell for a long time and the recent protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations by healthcare workers in Zimbabwe.

The nurses called on the government to take immediate action to improve working conditions and restore basic services at the hospital.